Concerts, fundraisers to keep Tampa visitors busy

The real fun during next week’s Republican National Convention will be anywhere near the convention hall itself.

From beach parties to music performances, booze bashes to golf scrambles, a gaggle of state delegations, special interest groups and media organizations are ensuring convention goers won’t lack for entertainment.

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Among the several hundred scheduled events and gatherings: the Stars and Stripes Republican Convention Shoot-Out sponsored by the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, National Rifle Association and National Shooting Sports Foundation; a baseball bash at Tropicana Field, a rally by presidential also-ran Ron Paul and concerts including Blues Traveler, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Jake Owen and Robert Earle Keene Jr.

Google is teaming with the YG Network to throw an invitation-only bash at the Tampa Museum of Art focused on “American innovation.” Many political advocacy groups’ come-ons feature prominent politicians, such as former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush. And media companies from The Atlantic to National Journal to POLITICO are hosting various receptions.

And then there’s Homocon 2012 — a disco party at Tampa, Fla.’s Honey Pot nightclub sponsored by pro-gay Republican group GOProud — that Executive Director Jimmy LaSalvia promises “is going to be the best” event of all.

Anti-tax advocate Grover Norquist and GOP operative Mary Matalin are among those scheduled to appear.

“Yes — some gay people are conservatives, and the message to the country is that everyone in the Republican Party is uniting behind the Romney/Ryan ticket,” said LaSalvia, who’s predicting a crowd of 1,000 people. “We’re going to have some great swag, too — disco ball keychains, ‘Freedom is Fabulous’ T-shirts.”

It wasn’t always like this.

A political generation ago, such ancillary events were decidedly more subdued and fewer in number, said Bill Kirk, a partner at K&L Gates who attended his first national convention in 1976.

“Not only are there a whole lot more events that occur, but there’s a whole lot more emphasis on fundraising and more issue-related events,” Kirk said. “There’s a lot of competition now, but there’s also market segmentation — you’re trying to attract a certain crowd.”

Indeed, the pro-free market Institute for Energy Research and American Energy Alliance plan to roll a giant bus into the center of Liberty Plaza for its rally touting energy independence and dish out a lunch menu that includes beef tenderloin, seafood and dessert.

“Sure, there’s a lot of competition, but everyone’s got to eat, you know?” the institute’s Benjamin Cole said, noting that the group is expecting about 400 people.

For other organizations, they’ll rely on people power to gin up interest.

Defending the Defenders, a rally Tuesday sponsored by Veterans for a Strong American, Special Operations for America and the Tea Party Patriots, will feature former members of S.E.A.L. Team 6 — as in, the guys who provided Osama bin Laden with a one-way trip to the after life.

Having high-profile people at a convention event is particularly key for organizations trying to draw attention to issues that aren’t awash in attention at the convention itself, organizer Joel Arends said, noting that “national security issues are on the back burner.”